Display structure



y 1938. M. J. BALDWIN 2,118,135

DISPLAY STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 26, 1936 INVENTOR lfl/vor J. BflAan m ATTORNEY Patented May 24, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 26,

13 Claims.

This invention relates to display structures, and more especially it relates to supports for displaying fiexible posters or the like.

In the manufacture of large posters for display purposes, it is necessary to print or lithograph the same on flexible paper due to the limitations of the printing presses. The printed sheets are then rendered self-supporting by mounting them on stiff paper board and providing the assembly with an easel structure. Facilities for mounting posters on stiff backings as described are available only in the largest cities. Consequently, locally printed posters frequently require to be sent to larger cities to be mounted. Because of the expense of mounting and the expense of shipping mounted posters, it frequently happens that the cost of preparing and printing the posters is less than half the cost of the finished product.

The chief objects of this invention are to provide an improved structure for displaying flexible posters and the like; to obviate the necessity for mounting posters on stiif backing material;

to provide a display device that will hold a poster in taut condition; that may be utilized alternatively for supporting a poster close to the floor as in window displays or for displaying it a distance above the floor; that is capable of applying varying degrees of tension to the poster; that is capable, within certain limits, of displaying posters of different lengths; and that may be disassembled and packed within small compass for storage or shipping. More specifically, the invention aims to provide a display structure comprising edge strips for a poster, which strips may be easily and quickly applied thereto. Other objects will be manifest.

Of the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a display structure embodying the invention as it appears when supporting a poster close to the floor;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of the bottom portion thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, on a large scale, of one of the edging strips of the structure and the poster therein;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view of another embodiment of the edging strips of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view of still another embodiment of the edging strips of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the improved display structure as it appears when displaying a poster in an elevated position; and

1936, Serial No. 97,915

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary perspective view of another embodiment of the edging strips of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, numeral 10 designates a display sign or poster which may have any desired picture or wording reproduced thereon by any suitable process. The sign is composed of flexible material, usually heavy paper, but other materials, such as cotton or linen, may be used if desired. Marginal metal binding or edging strips usually provided on opposite margins of posters of the character described are not required for the reason that the improved display structure includes means for engaging the poster margins.

As shown in Fig. 1, the display structure includes two edging strips II, II that are engageable with the respective upper and lower marginal portions of the poster Hi. In Fig. 3, an edging strip II in its simplest and elementary form is shown in detail. As shown therein, the edging strip ll consists of a single strip of metal that is longitudinally folded upon itself roughly to U-shape so as to define a relatively deep and narrow slot or groove [2 in which a marginal portion of the poster II] is received. The edging strip is made of relatively heavy gauge sheet metal so that it will not flex or bend under any strains to which it is normally subjected during use. Preferably one leg of the U-shaped strip II is longer than the other, as shown, for a purpose presently to be explained. The slot or groove 12 is of suflicient width as freely to receive the marginal portion of the poster Ill, the latter being bent sharply over the free edge of the short leg of the strip ll. This edge, at least, of the edging strip is flat and has sharply defined longitudinally extending corners, the arrangement being such that there is sufficient friction between the poster l0 and the said corners along 4 the margin of the edging strip to prevent. the poster from being pulled from the slot 12 by tension applied to the poster by the display device.

When mounted for use, as shown in Fig. l, the short leg of each edging strip is obscured by the poster I0, the long legs of the edging strips being rearmost and extending beyond the folded margins of the poster so as to be visible from in front of the latter. Thus the projecting free margin of the lower edging strip, which constitutes one support for the display structure, keeps the bottom edge of the poster slightly above the floor. Furthermore, these projecting portions of the edging strips may be polished or appropriately painted to provide attractive bor- 'the latter'from swivelling on the rod l4.

said edging strips outwardly, that is, away from each other, for the purpose of maintaining the poster Iii in taut condition. stretching member comprises a rod or tube. l4

that is provided at its upper end with a fixture 'l 5 that has a flat strap-like end portion bent to U-shape and constituting a socket or seat adapted to receive the upper edging strip H; Slidably' mounted upon the lower end portion of the rod M is a generally C-shaped bracket I6 of strap metal, the lower end portion of which extends downwardly below the lower end of rod l4 andhthereat is bent into a downwardly opening U-shaped formation ll similar to. the shape of the fixture I5. Like the latter, the U-shaped formation I'i constitutes a socket for engaging over the lower edging strip H. The bracket I I6 is yieldingly urged downwardly for the purpose of tensioning the poster Hi attached to the edging strips H, and to this end a compression spring i8 is mounted upon the rod [4 between a cotter pin 19 and a portion of the bracket through which the rod extends. A longitudinally disposed series of apertures 25,26 are formed in the rod i l for alternatively receiving the cotter pin I9, the arrangement providing for the adjusting of the position of the bracket IS on the rod to adapt the structure to posters of different lengths. By inserting the cotter pin I9 at various points between the convolutions of the spring l8, as shown, it is possible to utilize only a part of the effective length'and force of the said spring to the end that the tension applied to the poster it may be varied to suit various conditions that may arise. Preferably the upper and lower edging strips II have spaced-apart, centrally positioned projectionsor ribs 2|, 2 I, Fig. 2, formed thereon for the purpose of accurately indicating the points where the socket members l5, H are to engage said strips.

Threaded onto the lower end of the rod I4 is a metal block 23 that is substantially cubical in shape, the front face of said block abutting the rear face of the downwardly extending lower end portion of the bracket I6 and serving to prevent arrangement is such thatthe sockets l5, l7 and the edging strips ll engaged therein always are parallel to each other. The rear face of the block 23 is formed with an interiorly threaded bore in which is mountable a rod 25, the free end of the latter resting upon the floor and constituting a leg'orprop for holding the structure upright for display purposes. The rod'or prop 25 is perpendicular to the rod I4, but since the lower edging strip H is disposed below the lower end of the latter, the structure assumes a slightly inclined position in use, as shown.

Because the lower edging strip! 1 is in engagement with the fioorthroughout itslength, the simple prop'25 is suflicient adequately to support the'structure in stable equilibrium under all ordinary conditions. The prop 25 is readily re-- As shown, said The moved from the block 23 for the storing or shipping of the structure.

The improved display structure is of rugged and simple construction. its use obviates the requirement of mounting the posters on heavy backing material, it obviates the requirement of metal edging strips permanently aflixed to the posters, and it achieves the other objects set out in the foregoing statement of objects.

Sometimes it is desirable to present a poster Ii) at a distance above the floor, and this may be achieved easily and quickly with but slight change to the previously described structure. To

this end the block 23 has its bottom face formed with an interiorly threaded bore in which the rod 25, or a similar rod of greater or lesser length,

" may bemoan-ted, as shown in Fig. 6. Obviously the rod 25 may be used for this purpose. A base plate, such as that shown at 2? for example, is provided for receiving the lower end of the rod 26 in such a manner as to support the display structure in vertical position.

In some situations it may be desirable to display the poster it from a wall or the like. For this purpose a simple loop of wire 29 is attached to the rod !4 near the top thereof. By means of said loop the display structure, minus the prop 25, may be suspended at any suitable height from a nail or hook aifixed to said wall.

In some instances it is desirable to have the poster ill affixed to the inside of a window pane. Heretofore this has usually been accomplished by means of adhesive strips attached to the poster and to the glass. Removal of the poster required that the portions of the adhesive strips remaining on the window be removed therefrom by scraping or by some other laborious method. By this invention the use of adhesive strips may be avoided and the posters secured to window panes by the use of the edging strip 3|, Fig. '7. The edging strip 3% is similar to edging strips i! in that it attaches to the poster in the same manner. Adjacent each end of the edging strip 31, in the exposed portion of the long leg thereof and on the front side, is secured a suc ion cup 52 by which the edging strip isremovably attached to a window pane. But one edging strip is required when the poster is mounted in this manner.

A modified form of edging strip is shown at Fig. 4. It comprises a relatively wide metal strip 35 and a relatively narrow metal strip 35 per manently secured thereto along one margin thereof by rivets, such as shown at 3'5, 3?, or by any other suitable means, such as welding. The narrow strip 36 is laterally offset from the portion thereof that is secured to strip 35 so. as to define an'intervening slot in which the marginal portion strip being so shaped that one longitudinal region of the slot is of less width than the thickness'of the paper, with the result that the margin of the poster is yieldingly gripped by the strip. The poster folds over the margin of the folded portion of the edging strip so that the gripping action of the strip is supplemented'by friction for securely anchoring the poster margin. 1 r

Instead of the U-shaped socket members i5, ii

that engage the respective edging strips Ii, other suitable means may be employed. For example,

in Fig. 4 the edging strip 34 is provided in its media] region with a U-shaped strap 42 that is permanently secured to. the rear of the strip by rivets or by welding. Said strap defines a rectangular slot 43 in which the upper end of the rod l4 may be received, said rod-end being complementally shaped for the purpose and provided with a flange for engagement with one margin of said strap. Another example is shown in Fig. 5, wherein the medial region of the edging strip 39 has its rear face provided with a short, reversely curved strap 45 that is permanently secured thereto. The strap 45 defines a slot 46 that is open on three sides and receives a suitably shaped fixture 41 mounted upon the end of the rod l4. Said fixture may include lateral portions that extend about the lateral margins of the strap 45, as shown, for the purpose of providing secure interengagement of the said members.

Other modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims which are not limited wholly to the specific construction shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a display structure for flexible posters and the like, the combination of a pair of edging strips removably engageable with opposite margins of the poster, and a stretching member removably engageable with said edging strips adapted yieldingly to urge said strips away from each other to impart tension to said poster, said stretching member comprising U-shaped seats for engagement with the respective edging strips.

2. In a display structure for flexible posters and the like, the combination of a pair of edging strips removably engageable with opposite marginal portions of a poster, a stretching device removably engageable with said edging strips adapted yieldingly to urge said strips away from each other to impart tension to said poster, said device comprising U-shaped sockets in which the respective edging strips seat, and means for supporting the display structure in upright position.

3. In a display structure, the combination with a flexible poster or the like of a rigid, inflexible edging strip removably engaged with a marginal portion of the poster, and means for supporting the same, said edging strip comprising amarrow, longitudinally extending open groove of uniform width throughout in which the marginal portion of the poster is received, the poster being sharply bent over the margin of the strip on one side of the groove, said margin having sharply defined longitudinally extending corners whereby the friction between the strip and poster margin is sufficient to retain the poster margin in the groove.

4. In a display structure, the combination with a flexible poster or the like of an edging strip removably engaged with a marginal portion of the poster, and means for supporting the same, said edging strip consisting of two parallel portions united along one longitudinal margin so as to define a longitudinal slot or groove in which the marginal portion of the poster is received, one of said parallel portions being wider than the other so that it extends laterally beyond the other parallel portion, the poster being sharply bent over the free edge of the narrower parallel portion whereby the friction between the poster and said edge contributes to the retaining of the poster in said groove.

5. A combination as defined in claim 4 including means projecting from the back of the edging strip for engagement with the means for supporting the same.

6. A combination as defined in claim 4 in which the means for supporting the edging strip is attached to that region of the wider parallel portion thereof that is disposed laterally of the other parallel portion.

'7. A combination as defined in claim 4 in which the means for supporting the edging strip comprises a suction cup that is mounted upon the front face of that region of the wider parallel portion of strip that extends laterally of the other parallel portion thereof.

8. In a display structure for flexible posters or the like, the combination of a pair of edging strips removably engagable with opposite marginal portions of the poster, a stretching member removably engageable with said edging strips adapted yieldingly to urge said strips away from each other to impart tension to said poster, and means for supporting said tensioning device in upright position, said means including a fixture on the device adjacent the lower end thereof, and a prop alternatively mountable in said fixture at an angle to the tension device or in axial alignment therewith for supporting the display structure in contact with the floor or at an elevation above the floor respectively.

9. In a display structure for flexible posters or the like, the combination of a pair of edging strips mountable upon opposite marginal portions of the poster, and a stretching device removably engageable with said edging strips adapted yieldingly to urge said strips away from each other to impart tension to the poster, said stretching device comprising a rigid rod having one end engageable with one of said edging strips, a member slidable on said rod and having a portion engageable with the other edging strip, the stripengaging portions of the stretching device consisting of sockets in which the edging strips are receivable, and yielding means normally urging said slidable member toward the adjacent end of the rod.

10. In a display structure for flexible posters or the like, the combination of a pair of edging strips mountable upon opposite marginal portions of the poster, and a stretching device removably engageable with said edging strips adapted yieldingly to urge said strips away from each other to impart tension to the poster, said stretching device comprising a rigid rod having one end engageable with one of said edging strips, a member slidable on said rod and having a portion engageable with the other edging strip, yielding means normally urging said slidable member to- Ward the adjacent end of the rod, and means for adjusting the position of the yielding means longitudinally of the rod to adapt the structure to posters of different lengths.

11. In a display structure for flexible posters or the like, the combination of a pair of edging strips mountable upon opposite marginal portions of the poster, and a stretching device removably engageable with said edging strips adapted yieldingly to urge said strips away from each other to impart tension to the poster, said stretching device comprising a rigid rod having one end engageable with one of said edging strips, a member slidable on said rod and havinga portion engageable with the other edging strip, yielding means normally urging said slidable member toward the adjacent end of the rod, and means for altering the efiective strength of the yielding means to vary the tension imparted to the'poster.

12. In a display'structure for posters, the combination of a pair of edging strips mountable upon opposite marginal portions of the poster, a stretching device removably engageable with said edging strips adapted yieldingly to urge said strips away from each other to impart tension to the poster, said stretching device comprising a rigid rod having one end engageable with one of said edging strips, a member slidable on said rod and having a portion engageable with the other edging strip, yielding means normally urging said slidable member towards the adjacent end of the rod, and means for mounting the display structure in upright position, said means com-t mountable in lo 

